melancon gives up 3 runs and 3 hits in one inning, bobby v comments that he looked pretty good backing up the bases. i personally love the guy, thinks he was just blowing steam while keeping everyone loose incl melancon. the media reports he was taking a cheap shot at mark for getting bombed. turns out he was just repeating what mark had said about himself. will this work? is having a sarcastic humor the worse thing to have with a 162 games of heartburn type incidents and questions inevitably to come?

It's spring training .... getting bombed here hardly means a thing. His mechanics and fundementals - and conditioning - is all that really matters. If he's covering the bases and such, way to go. The media reacts to every pitch and every wink or twitch of an eye... They have to find something to push, otherwise they don't validate their paycheck. Too many reactionary reporters ... with the motto only bad news sells.Posted by SinceYaz

"It's spring training." Well, yes, but pitchers don't like to get bombed even when they're fooling around with the neighborhood kids on the sandlot. Position players might "round into shape," and in a sense pitchers do as well. But it's never good news when a pitcher gets bombed. He was making mistakes. ( Aceves couldn't get the ball down or away from the middle of the plate. ) Getting shelled almost always is a blow to a pitcher's confidence. He might tell himself and the world that he was "just working on some things," but he probably knows better. Pitchers who delude themselves are courting danger. Whatever one thinks of Beckett, he never does. He is brutally honest with both the world and himself when he has a bad game. About September, he put it bluntly: "I wasn't pitching good."

The Sox pitchers who aren't pitching well are -- well, not pitching well. They are not trying not to pitch well or are not caring how they pitch since "it's spring training." They better be serious about what went wrong and take immediate steps to correct it.

In Response to Re: V on Melancon, what did he mean? : "It's spring training." Well, yes, but pitchers don't like to get bombed even when they're fooling around with the neighborhood kids on the sandlot. Position players might "round into shape," and in a sense pitchers do as well. But it's never good news when a pitcher gets bombed. He was making mistakes. ( Aceves couldn't get the ball down or away from the middle of the plate. ) Getting shelled almost always is a blow to a pitcher's confidence. He might tell himself and the world that he was "just working on some things," but he probably knows better. Pitchers who delude themselves are courting danger. Whatever one thinks of Beckett, he never does. He is brutally honest with both the world and himself when he has a bad game. About September, he put it bluntly: "I wasn't pitching good." The Sox pitchers who aren't pitching well are -- well, not pitching well. They are not trying not to pitch well or are not caring how they pitch since "it's spring training." They better be serious about what went wrong and take immediate steps to correct it.Posted by expitch

Well said from one who knows the position and correspoinding mind-set. Those posters that continue to have their head in the sand with the old "It's early", "Spring Training doesn't matter" simply don't understand and are delusional.

Not intending to say that the outing - or any - doesn't matter. Just saying that on different days different things are asked of certain pitchers.

I didn't follow Bard's game today, for example. I know Bobby wanted to see a third pitch in this one. I don't know if Bard threw it and that's where he got in trouble or not. What I do know is they are working on development. Could it be going better? You betcha.

Both Bailey and Melancon aren't throwing very well yet, from what I gather. Bailey had a small injury to slow him down. Don't know if Melancon has had issues.

I'm not saying it's early, just that there are several projects in the works. But I am also not saying these guys are reg season ready. That's just not the case.

I recall some old timers talking about the need for ST. In their day it was to get in shape for the season, since playing ball was really only seasonal work. Meaning they had to have off season jobs to get by. The mindset they gave was there is no excuse for today's players to not show up ready. I can see their point, but the fact still is that most use this time to round into shape. Arms, bodies, skills ... whatever.

Not intending to say that the outing - or any - doesn't matter. Just saying that on different days different things are asked of certain pitchers. I didn't follow Bard's game today, for example. I know Bobby wanted to see a third pitch in this one. I don't know if Bard threw it and that's where he got in trouble or not. What I do know is they are working on development. Could it be going better? You betcha. Both Bailey and Melancon aren't throwing very well yet, from what I gather. Bailey had a small injury to slow him down. Don't know if Melancon has had issues. I'm not saying it's early, just that there are several projects in the works. But I am also not saying these guys are reg season ready. That's just not the case. I recall some old timers talking about the need for ST. In their day it was to get in shape for the season, since playing ball was really only seasonal work. Meaning they had to have off season jobs to get by. The mindset they gave was there is no excuse for today's players to not show up ready. I can see their point, but the fact still is that most use this time to round into shape. Arms, bodies, skills ... whatever.Posted by SinceYaz

I wouldn't buy too far into the blather about "different days and different pitches." Every time on the mound, pitchers are trying to retire batters. If they are "trying something" that isn't working, they are not going to stay at it and get shelled or walk the house. Their job is to get outs, batter by batter.

Not only should the pitchers have come to camp in shape, but in ST they are normally ahead of the hitters. Of course, the pitchers are not in regular season form yet --but neither are the batters, many of whom are minor leaguers. So not only are the pitchers ahead -- or should be ahead -- but they are facing a lot of batters who won't make rosters.

Poor pitching is just that, whenever it happens. If it happens in ST, it's not necessarily a harbinger of things to come. Neither is it welcome.

In Response to Re: V on Melancon, what did he mean? : You ever get sick of all the TeaTard comments? I do.Posted by Flattiehater

Yep I get tired of the Tea Party Comments and the Liberal comments alike.... SEE just because you THINK your remark was witty.... maybe you should just sit and wait before you make it.... 42% of Americans think they are conservative.... only 24% admit they are liberal..... I just hope and pray that all the rest are RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.... and take care of themselves... or we are all in trouble when the sox fall on their face during the June Swoon.